The news on Wednesday January 7th 2010 is of snowfalls and in Hampshire drivers had to spend the night in their vehicles, or walk some distance to places of more warmer safety. In the affected areas everyone is being advised to stay at home unless there is an emergency. Thousands of schools have been closed as well as airports as the nation grinds to a halt. The weather is forecast to continue for at least a week. Then at mid day there was a political bombshell which damaged the Labour Party more than the Prime Minister.
I return to Babylon 5 Catch up with episode 32 of the second series after the war begins between the Narns and Centauri, caused by Londo Mollari with the use of the Shadows. But who is using who?
In ‘Gropos‘, Dr Franklin’s father arrives at the space station in command of an earth force of 25000 en route for a campaign on the Planet, Akdor. Relationships between father and son have been stained since the son understood the nature of his father’s occupation and father is disappointed by the lack of ambition and chosen profession of his son.
As Commander Sheridan had been to Akdor he was able to advise the General of military conditions there, warning that the operation would not prove as easy as Earth Command suggested. Garibaldi has a passionate relationship with one of the Ground Pounders foot soldiers the ‘Gropos’ whose presence on the station creates problems, as soldiers preparing for battle, some for death or life long injury, always do. The episode concentrates on the importance of parents and children resolving relationships before there is no opportunity to do so. The ‘Gropos’ who Garibaldi befriend dies in combat. The episode is of significance because the number of causalities, especially civilian casualties of all ages, reaches billions in wars to come. It shows the impact of war on individuals.
‘All Alone at Night’- episode 33 is used to describe the position of the space station mentioned at the commencement of every episode. Commander Sheridan is captured while investigating the attack on Merchant ships in the area of his Command. Once on board the mystery attack vessel he is probed, tortured and made to fight combats to the death with other captors. Working out that those behind the capture are trying to find out the individual strengths of the different species, he joins forces with his opponent to escape. The Chairman of the Earth Joint Chief of Staffs arrives at he station with a battle ship to help his friend.
Meanwhile Ambassador Delenn of the Minbari is summoned to the Grey Council, the ruling organisation, where she finds she has been replaced by a member of the Warrior caste thus altering the balance of interests and approach of the Council. She is effectively banished to continue her role on the space station but role she will lose her powers and influence held back on the Home Planet. Fortunately she already has her private resources.
Delenn intercepts a message which confirms who Sheriden’s captors are, an advanced alien race , and she leads the Chief of Staff to where she believes the attack vessel is stationed. Sheridan escapes as the rescue arrives. Back on the Space Station the Chief of Staff confides his misgiving about the death of the previous President, Santiago. and that it was plot by the man replacing him aided by the Psi Corps. Sheridan joins in the attempt to try and prove the former President was assassinated and the Psi Corps are part of the conspiracy to take power and change the policies and way of government of Earth. Sheridan is able to bring his closest colleagues, his deputy, Garibaldi and the good Doctor into his confidence and they agree to support the investigation and evidence gathering. On his return to the station Sheridan is approached by Ambassador Kosh who offers to establish personal communication.
Episode 34 is something of a digression as the second in command Ivanova is assigned to negotiate a trade and peace treaty with the Lumati who require a sexual relationship to complete the negotiations, she works out a novel way of satisfying the request to the bemusement of the Lumati who insists that next time they will do it his way. The main focus of Acts of Sacrifice is the Narn Centauri war, I say Narn Centauri, because the Narns were left with no alternative but to declare war following the Centauri Ambassador’s Londo created attack on their largest colony. The Narns are losing the war and Sheridan struggles to persuade the earth to intervene to support the rescuing of civilian life. Although she lacks the previous power and control over resources, Delenn suggests a plan on how they both can help to ensure the surviving civilians are taken to places of safety. Ambassador G’Kar who hoped Earth would openly assist, accepts the offer, understanding that the Commander and the Ambassador are sticking out their necks and helping the most they can. He knows that without direct help his people are at risk of being overrun by the Centauri once more.
Episode 35 ‘Hunter Prey’ returns to the assassination of the previous President of the Earth planet and colonies, as Earth Government sends a senior security agent to apprehend the former doctor to the new President who has taken refuge and made contact with Dr Franklin. The doctor has a record of the medical examination just before the Vice President absented himself from the trip with the previous President because of ill heath, yet the examination gave him a clean bill of health. In order to try and avoid discovery the physician goes deeper into station’s lower levels where the criminals and other members of the station sub culture inhabit and is captured for bounty. He is rescued and then the problem is to avoid discovery as the Earth Intelligence team want the station scanned by the latest technology. Sheridan devises a plan with the help of Ambassador Kosh which enables the scan to take place and fail to identify the whereabouts of the doctor. They also reclaim the recorded evidence of the medical examination. The episode is also important because Kosh of the Vorlons has said that the reason why he has contacted Sheridan is to help him become ready to fight the ‘legends‘, referring to the re-emergence of the Shadows.
In Episode 36 ‘There all Honour lies’ the sub story divertissement is the opening of a souvenir stall at the base and where dolls depicting Londo cause a minor diplomatic incident and leads to the experiment ending much to the delight of deputy Ivanova who has been put in charge of the Earth initiative.
The main story is that Sheridan is framed for the death of a Minbari and is only exonerated with the help of the assistant to Ambassador Delenn who is of the same caste as the perpetrator. The real reason for the frame is not the past role of Sheridan in the war with the Minbari but the role of transformed Delenn. The warrior cast cannot forgive the surrender to humans when they were at the point of victory and the decision of Delenn to make herself more human affronts their honour and fallen comrades. It is not clear to me why the knowledge of soul migration into human beings has to be kept secret from the military leaders or the population generally.
Kosh insists on Sheridan going into the lower levels where he meets a hooded figure who provides an experience of beauty which affects him in a positive and fundamental way. Meanwhile Londo had been developing his relationship with his assistant Vir who has doubts about his importance and is on the verge of being replaced.
Episode 38 ‘And Now for A Word’ is in the form of a news documentary as an earth TV station is given fly on the wall opportunity to spend 36 hours on Babylon 5. The success and future of the space station is in question as the Centauri-Narn war rages. The station plunges into a crisis situation as the Narn’s correctly claim that the Centauri are using the Babylon to ferry war material using civilian trading vessels. The Centauri object to any interference and both sides sends cruisers threaten each other and the space station. The weapons are important and will be used in a subsequent episode.
Public support on earth for Babylon 5 is falling as the public fear the role of the station will result in earth becoming involved in the war. The Commander has to use all his experience and skill to maintain neutrality while insisting that the Centauri do not use the station as a cover for their war. The Narn and Centauri fighting craft are then destroyed but Babylon 5 remains unscathed. The visiting News team concludes its report that the station is a dangerous place and will continue to be the centre of conflict and controversy.
These episodes are a build up towards ‘In the Shadow of Z’ha’dum’ 39 in which the role of Mr Morden is identified as a link to Shadows, but not directly to the role of Londo Mollari in causing the war. The Commander discovers that the man was the only person to survive the “accident” in which his wife was killed, and uses his authority to apprehend and bully the individual into revealing what he knows, against all Protocols and the advice of his deputy and Security chief who nevertheless sympathise with his predicament. His position becomes more difficult when Mollari via Vir demands the release of the man who has their diplomatic immunity and who then protest to Earth, who in turn order the man to be released. Surprisingly Delenn also intervenes urging the Commander to release the man on the grounds that everyone is not ready to cope with an open attack from the Shadows. The Commander uses technology which reveals the presence of the Shadows in the cell with the prisoner. He is released.
The history of the war between the Shadows and other races including the ‘First Ones’ is described. The Vorlons are revealed as being one of the First Ones. The group concerned at the assassination of the previous Earth president and the role of the Psi corps is revealed as ‘the Nightwatch‘. As hinted at previously the relationship between Commander Sheridan and Ambassador Delenn becomes more socially intimate. The homeworld of the Shadows is called Z’ha’dum a reference to the a similar world in Tolkien’s Middle Earth Moria, an important and powerful ancient world now occupied by a great evil.
In episode 40 ‘Knives’ Londo begins to learn something of the price he is to pay for his ambition and unscrupulous dealing when a close friend and mentor comes to visit and reveals that he is under threat from the new power because he believes the new order is corrupt and dangerous. Londo tries to help his friend and friend’s family, putting his own position in question as the order to apprehended and prosecute the friend was given by none other than Lord Refa, the power behind the new leadership on Centauri Prime. The friend forces Londo to kill him in a ritualistic dual as a means to ensure his family is protected under the rules of the contest, thus Londo remain clear with the homeworld and the family are protected as otherwise they would have perished with its head.
An alien life form invades Sheridan’s body trying to get home which the Commander comes to recognise and facilitate. The episode reveals there is a dimension rift similar to that believed to explain the Bermuda Triangle where things go missing and where Babylon 4 disappeared, reappeared and then disappeared again.
Episode 41 Divided Loyalties is the relative calm before the storm and centres on the return of Lyta Alexander to the station. She was the original official Telepath member of Psi Corp but was replaced earlier (due, we subsequently learn in off screen information, to a contractual wrangle over the salary of the actor playing the character.) The purpose of the visit is to advise Sheridan that there is a Psi Corp agent working undercover. This is revealed to be Talia Winters after she attempts to kill Lyta. Talia works as a commercial Telepath and leaves the station and the series. Lyta, on the other hand is scheduled to reappear in future episodes. We also learn more about the background of the opposition of deputy commander Ivanova to the Psi Corp which until now related to what happened to her mother. It is revealed that she herself is a latent telepath.
This brings to what I regard as the most important and moving episode of the series todate ‘The Long Twilight Struggle‘. The main story concerns the Centauri Narn War in which the Centauri learn that the Narns are planning to commit their major space ship force on attacking their major supply base at Gorash 7. Lord Rafa asks Londo to contact his friends to arrange for them to wipe out the Narn force while he accompanies Londo to observe the Centauri attack on the Narn home world using illegal weapons which destroy large civilian populations as well as military installations. Both assaults are successful and the Narns are forced into a humiliating surrender in which their political leadership is to be arrested and tried for having initiated the war.
Londo demands the surrender of G’Kar the only remaining member of the former government at large. G’Kar has already requested sanctuary which Sheridan agrees, supported by Delenn, much to the anger of Londo. Sheridan goes further and pledges G’Kar his full support for the Narns to regain their freedom. G’Kar appears a broken man who warned the military command about the dangers of putting all their space eggs in one basket especially after he is given a report by Dr Franklin arising form the dying statement of someone admitted to his hospital that the Centauri had been finding out about the defences of the Narn home world as a matter of urgency. As G’Kar is required to leave the Council being stripped of his role as Ambassador he makes a Churchillian statement about the historical failure of dictators to suppress the will of people to be free, even if doing so takes a thousand years.
As a sub story Sheridan and Delenn are invited to return to the planet below the space station, Epsilon 3, where the former mentor of Delenn, Draal has become keeper of the great machine intelligence. He explains that he has learnt many things about the past and the future and about the character of Sheridan. He says he is now prepared to put the resources of the planet available to him to assist the Commander in the struggle to come. Returning to the station because of the Centauri assault on the Narn homeworld Sheridan is introduced to the Rangers who we learn have been under the command of Delenn, a force outside the control of the Minbari Grey Council and which includes peoples from different races, including a Vorlon. Pandora’s box has been opened. Now there is hope. This is not the end of the second series and will be covered later.
The penultimate review of Top Friends January 2101 commences with 0 and continues of the end of S, fittingly with Sophie Calle the latest and important addition to the for ever changing top 40 list at 622. There have been 114 departures. Next writing will bring to the 725 with three request waiting to be reviewed with episodes tomorrow and Friday. I will refer to these MySpace Friends on Friday evening for Saturday. For tomorrow there are the remaining My Space Friends and the great plot to replace the current Prime Minister which again appears to have failed as Cabinet Members, with six being mentioned, do not come out and say in public that they support the call for a secret ballot of the Common’s Members on whether Mr Brown should lead his Party into the next General Election. However their statements are luke warm and suggest than morning is happening behind the scenes as has been public.
O
463 Our Planet Added 2009
464 Osho Before May 2007 added
465 Okkupato February 2008 accepted
466 Oscar Wilde before May 2007 request
467 Obebes august 2007 accepted
468 Orson Wells autumn 2008 added
469 Ordinary Pop added 2009
470 Olga before May 2007 added Top list
Olga Greece former TF not at review 96
471 Original Jazz band autumn 2008
472 One World Hunger added 2009
Official autumn 2008 not at review 97
473 Opossum added 2009
474 Oscartdrawin added 2009
P
475 Pheonix added 2009
476 Psycho Bitch added 2009
477 Paulo Nutrini nov dec 2008
478 Pope John Before May 2007 added
479 PB Shelley Before May 2007 added
480 Paul Marturano summer 2008
481 Pearl and the Puppets nov dec 2008
482 Paul Oscher added 2009
483 Preservation Jazz band summer 2008
484 Peter Piek nov dec 2008
485 Paramahansa added 2009
486 Peter China summer 2008
Pedro Almodovar Before May added 97)
Penetr.net Before May added 98)
487 Paxal nov dec 2008
488 Pete Waterman Before May 2007
Peter Jackson Before May 2007 added 99
489 Peter Michael 20July Accepted
490 Pimping Before May 2007 Accepted
Princess June 19th 2007 accepted 100
491 Peter Redenko added 2009
492 Pirate Radio Before May 2007 accepted
493 Powerage by April 2008
494 Paula Abdul Before summer 2007 added
President elect Obama autumn 2008 101
495 Presidents added 2009
496 Pablo Picasso added autumn 2007
497 Promotions Before May 2007 Accepted
498 Pedro Almodovar nov dec 2008
499 Paul L Martinr accepted mid 2007
500 Plato autumn 2008
501 Paul Gaugin nov dec 2008
502 Phillipe Alain autumn 2008
503 Platform 58 added 2009
504 Prince Charles Cinema summer 2009
505 Poppy Girl R.I.P summer 2008
506 Planet full of Blues added 2009
507 Planet Texxas added 2009
508 patmusic added 2009
Q
509 Queen Jane Before august 2007 added
510 Quaker Peace centre Before May 2007 added
511 Quare before august 2007 accepted
512 Queenie and blue cats Before May 2007 added
513 Quantum Accepted autumn 2007
514 Quinn Daniels added 2009
R
515 REM nov dec 2008
516 Ruby James added
517 R Mutt new name 2007
518 Russell 20July 2007 Accepted top 40
519 Renoir autumn 2008
Renate July Accepted dep 102
Rachmaninov July 2007 added 103
520 Ritchie Havens before May 2007 added
521 Richard Gardner summer 2007
522 Rebecca Pidgeon added 2009
Ramsays 2007 -104
523 Remodernism spring 2008
524 Ritary Gagumenti nov dec 2008
525 Reax accepted August 2007
525 Rhei C before May 2007 accepted
526 Roman Pokomy autumn 2008
527 Rachel Street summer 2008
Rainmaker before May 2007 added 104
528 Ray Quinn February 2007 added
529 Robert Allen before May 2007 added
530 Rory Connor added 2009
531 Raphael before May 2007 added
532 Roy Orbison before Nay 2007 added
Rynn before may 2007 105
533 Rock the World added 2009
534 Ray Dexter accepted autumn 2007
535 RIP John accepted summer 2008
536 Richard Koechli added 2009
Remy Trom nov dec 2008 106
537 Ramin Djame nov dec 2008
538 Robert Altman before May
539 Rudolphe Raffalli added 2009
540 Robert Pant nov dec 2008
541 Rayne April 2008
Rip Tree nov dec 2008 107
542 Ricardo Ramirez added 2009
543 Reifenstahl 18.06 2007 Facebook
S
Sinister Jan Feb 2008 accepted Go by Apr 108
544 Steve Carson Band added 2009
545 Socialist Standard added 2009
546 Surianne before May 2007 request
547 Smeagol spring 2008
548 Simon White added 2009
549 Swirl Orb by April 2008
550 Susan Tedeschi added 2009
Sharon 2008 - 109
551 Sigmund Freud Before May 2007 added TF
552 Scarlett Black added
553 Samson and Winter 2008 accepted
554 Stuart 2008
555 Stina Nordenstm
556 Super Cozi added 2009
557 Sue Foley before May 2007 added
578 St Francis Before May 2007 added
579 Scott Raba added 2009
580 St Terresa before May 2007 added
581 Sorry Gilberto Before May 2007 accepted
582 Simone De B nov dec 2008
583 Section Five autumn 2007 accepted
584 Somewhere Before May 2007 accepted TF 40
585 Sharon Osborne added before May 2007
586 Soutine autumn 2008
587 System Lover by April 2008-04-09
588 Staggerle 19 2007 Accepted
589 Susan before May 2007 request
590 Siovenski nov dec 2008
591 Sting nov dec 2008
592 Sister Sophie Before May 2007 added TF 40
593 St Maximus before May 2007 added
594 Sammy Lee before May 2007 add
Semone Loss Before may 2007 110
595 Sergio Carlos before May 2007 Accepted was TF
596 Shelleys art nov dec 2008
597 So July 2007 Accepted 2008
Simon Cowell Before May 2007 added 111
598 Shaun Attwood 2008-11-21
599 Salvador Dali nov dec 2008
600 Spring Heeled July 2007 Accepted
601 Sean Wright July 2007 Accepted
602 Sea Witch 2008
603 Susan Vega nov dec 2008
604 Shades of Before May 2007 accepted
605 Stefano nov dec 2008#
606 Stephanie nov dec 2008
607 St Bernadette before May 2007 added
608 Serkin added 2009
609 Sobriquette added 2009
610 Selene Munoz added 2009
611 Savo Rego added 2008
Sean Guage 2008 112
612 Steve McCormick added 2009
613 Sophie Lorren autumn 2008
614 Standbite nov dec 2008
615 Southern Boy Music added 2009
616 Scene Junkie autumn 2008
Spinal me autumn 2207 added- 113
Sylvia Jan 08 accepted -114
617 Sysma nov dec 2008
618 Sakti added 2009
619 Santiago added 2009
620 Starving Artist nov dec 2008
621 Sarah Morton added 2009
622 Stefano added 2009
623 Sophie Calle added 2009 Top 40
I return to Babylon 5 Catch up with episode 32 of the second series after the war begins between the Narns and Centauri, caused by Londo Mollari with the use of the Shadows. But who is using who?
In ‘Gropos‘, Dr Franklin’s father arrives at the space station in command of an earth force of 25000 en route for a campaign on the Planet, Akdor. Relationships between father and son have been stained since the son understood the nature of his father’s occupation and father is disappointed by the lack of ambition and chosen profession of his son.
As Commander Sheridan had been to Akdor he was able to advise the General of military conditions there, warning that the operation would not prove as easy as Earth Command suggested. Garibaldi has a passionate relationship with one of the Ground Pounders foot soldiers the ‘Gropos’ whose presence on the station creates problems, as soldiers preparing for battle, some for death or life long injury, always do. The episode concentrates on the importance of parents and children resolving relationships before there is no opportunity to do so. The ‘Gropos’ who Garibaldi befriend dies in combat. The episode is of significance because the number of causalities, especially civilian casualties of all ages, reaches billions in wars to come. It shows the impact of war on individuals.
‘All Alone at Night’- episode 33 is used to describe the position of the space station mentioned at the commencement of every episode. Commander Sheridan is captured while investigating the attack on Merchant ships in the area of his Command. Once on board the mystery attack vessel he is probed, tortured and made to fight combats to the death with other captors. Working out that those behind the capture are trying to find out the individual strengths of the different species, he joins forces with his opponent to escape. The Chairman of the Earth Joint Chief of Staffs arrives at he station with a battle ship to help his friend.
Meanwhile Ambassador Delenn of the Minbari is summoned to the Grey Council, the ruling organisation, where she finds she has been replaced by a member of the Warrior caste thus altering the balance of interests and approach of the Council. She is effectively banished to continue her role on the space station but role she will lose her powers and influence held back on the Home Planet. Fortunately she already has her private resources.
Delenn intercepts a message which confirms who Sheriden’s captors are, an advanced alien race , and she leads the Chief of Staff to where she believes the attack vessel is stationed. Sheridan escapes as the rescue arrives. Back on the Space Station the Chief of Staff confides his misgiving about the death of the previous President, Santiago. and that it was plot by the man replacing him aided by the Psi Corps. Sheridan joins in the attempt to try and prove the former President was assassinated and the Psi Corps are part of the conspiracy to take power and change the policies and way of government of Earth. Sheridan is able to bring his closest colleagues, his deputy, Garibaldi and the good Doctor into his confidence and they agree to support the investigation and evidence gathering. On his return to the station Sheridan is approached by Ambassador Kosh who offers to establish personal communication.
Episode 34 is something of a digression as the second in command Ivanova is assigned to negotiate a trade and peace treaty with the Lumati who require a sexual relationship to complete the negotiations, she works out a novel way of satisfying the request to the bemusement of the Lumati who insists that next time they will do it his way. The main focus of Acts of Sacrifice is the Narn Centauri war, I say Narn Centauri, because the Narns were left with no alternative but to declare war following the Centauri Ambassador’s Londo created attack on their largest colony. The Narns are losing the war and Sheridan struggles to persuade the earth to intervene to support the rescuing of civilian life. Although she lacks the previous power and control over resources, Delenn suggests a plan on how they both can help to ensure the surviving civilians are taken to places of safety. Ambassador G’Kar who hoped Earth would openly assist, accepts the offer, understanding that the Commander and the Ambassador are sticking out their necks and helping the most they can. He knows that without direct help his people are at risk of being overrun by the Centauri once more.
Episode 35 ‘Hunter Prey’ returns to the assassination of the previous President of the Earth planet and colonies, as Earth Government sends a senior security agent to apprehend the former doctor to the new President who has taken refuge and made contact with Dr Franklin. The doctor has a record of the medical examination just before the Vice President absented himself from the trip with the previous President because of ill heath, yet the examination gave him a clean bill of health. In order to try and avoid discovery the physician goes deeper into station’s lower levels where the criminals and other members of the station sub culture inhabit and is captured for bounty. He is rescued and then the problem is to avoid discovery as the Earth Intelligence team want the station scanned by the latest technology. Sheridan devises a plan with the help of Ambassador Kosh which enables the scan to take place and fail to identify the whereabouts of the doctor. They also reclaim the recorded evidence of the medical examination. The episode is also important because Kosh of the Vorlons has said that the reason why he has contacted Sheridan is to help him become ready to fight the ‘legends‘, referring to the re-emergence of the Shadows.
In Episode 36 ‘There all Honour lies’ the sub story divertissement is the opening of a souvenir stall at the base and where dolls depicting Londo cause a minor diplomatic incident and leads to the experiment ending much to the delight of deputy Ivanova who has been put in charge of the Earth initiative.
The main story is that Sheridan is framed for the death of a Minbari and is only exonerated with the help of the assistant to Ambassador Delenn who is of the same caste as the perpetrator. The real reason for the frame is not the past role of Sheridan in the war with the Minbari but the role of transformed Delenn. The warrior cast cannot forgive the surrender to humans when they were at the point of victory and the decision of Delenn to make herself more human affronts their honour and fallen comrades. It is not clear to me why the knowledge of soul migration into human beings has to be kept secret from the military leaders or the population generally.
Kosh insists on Sheridan going into the lower levels where he meets a hooded figure who provides an experience of beauty which affects him in a positive and fundamental way. Meanwhile Londo had been developing his relationship with his assistant Vir who has doubts about his importance and is on the verge of being replaced.
Episode 38 ‘And Now for A Word’ is in the form of a news documentary as an earth TV station is given fly on the wall opportunity to spend 36 hours on Babylon 5. The success and future of the space station is in question as the Centauri-Narn war rages. The station plunges into a crisis situation as the Narn’s correctly claim that the Centauri are using the Babylon to ferry war material using civilian trading vessels. The Centauri object to any interference and both sides sends cruisers threaten each other and the space station. The weapons are important and will be used in a subsequent episode.
Public support on earth for Babylon 5 is falling as the public fear the role of the station will result in earth becoming involved in the war. The Commander has to use all his experience and skill to maintain neutrality while insisting that the Centauri do not use the station as a cover for their war. The Narn and Centauri fighting craft are then destroyed but Babylon 5 remains unscathed. The visiting News team concludes its report that the station is a dangerous place and will continue to be the centre of conflict and controversy.
These episodes are a build up towards ‘In the Shadow of Z’ha’dum’ 39 in which the role of Mr Morden is identified as a link to Shadows, but not directly to the role of Londo Mollari in causing the war. The Commander discovers that the man was the only person to survive the “accident” in which his wife was killed, and uses his authority to apprehend and bully the individual into revealing what he knows, against all Protocols and the advice of his deputy and Security chief who nevertheless sympathise with his predicament. His position becomes more difficult when Mollari via Vir demands the release of the man who has their diplomatic immunity and who then protest to Earth, who in turn order the man to be released. Surprisingly Delenn also intervenes urging the Commander to release the man on the grounds that everyone is not ready to cope with an open attack from the Shadows. The Commander uses technology which reveals the presence of the Shadows in the cell with the prisoner. He is released.
The history of the war between the Shadows and other races including the ‘First Ones’ is described. The Vorlons are revealed as being one of the First Ones. The group concerned at the assassination of the previous Earth president and the role of the Psi corps is revealed as ‘the Nightwatch‘. As hinted at previously the relationship between Commander Sheridan and Ambassador Delenn becomes more socially intimate. The homeworld of the Shadows is called Z’ha’dum a reference to the a similar world in Tolkien’s Middle Earth Moria, an important and powerful ancient world now occupied by a great evil.
In episode 40 ‘Knives’ Londo begins to learn something of the price he is to pay for his ambition and unscrupulous dealing when a close friend and mentor comes to visit and reveals that he is under threat from the new power because he believes the new order is corrupt and dangerous. Londo tries to help his friend and friend’s family, putting his own position in question as the order to apprehended and prosecute the friend was given by none other than Lord Refa, the power behind the new leadership on Centauri Prime. The friend forces Londo to kill him in a ritualistic dual as a means to ensure his family is protected under the rules of the contest, thus Londo remain clear with the homeworld and the family are protected as otherwise they would have perished with its head.
An alien life form invades Sheridan’s body trying to get home which the Commander comes to recognise and facilitate. The episode reveals there is a dimension rift similar to that believed to explain the Bermuda Triangle where things go missing and where Babylon 4 disappeared, reappeared and then disappeared again.
Episode 41 Divided Loyalties is the relative calm before the storm and centres on the return of Lyta Alexander to the station. She was the original official Telepath member of Psi Corp but was replaced earlier (due, we subsequently learn in off screen information, to a contractual wrangle over the salary of the actor playing the character.) The purpose of the visit is to advise Sheridan that there is a Psi Corp agent working undercover. This is revealed to be Talia Winters after she attempts to kill Lyta. Talia works as a commercial Telepath and leaves the station and the series. Lyta, on the other hand is scheduled to reappear in future episodes. We also learn more about the background of the opposition of deputy commander Ivanova to the Psi Corp which until now related to what happened to her mother. It is revealed that she herself is a latent telepath.
This brings to what I regard as the most important and moving episode of the series todate ‘The Long Twilight Struggle‘. The main story concerns the Centauri Narn War in which the Centauri learn that the Narns are planning to commit their major space ship force on attacking their major supply base at Gorash 7. Lord Rafa asks Londo to contact his friends to arrange for them to wipe out the Narn force while he accompanies Londo to observe the Centauri attack on the Narn home world using illegal weapons which destroy large civilian populations as well as military installations. Both assaults are successful and the Narns are forced into a humiliating surrender in which their political leadership is to be arrested and tried for having initiated the war.
Londo demands the surrender of G’Kar the only remaining member of the former government at large. G’Kar has already requested sanctuary which Sheridan agrees, supported by Delenn, much to the anger of Londo. Sheridan goes further and pledges G’Kar his full support for the Narns to regain their freedom. G’Kar appears a broken man who warned the military command about the dangers of putting all their space eggs in one basket especially after he is given a report by Dr Franklin arising form the dying statement of someone admitted to his hospital that the Centauri had been finding out about the defences of the Narn home world as a matter of urgency. As G’Kar is required to leave the Council being stripped of his role as Ambassador he makes a Churchillian statement about the historical failure of dictators to suppress the will of people to be free, even if doing so takes a thousand years.
As a sub story Sheridan and Delenn are invited to return to the planet below the space station, Epsilon 3, where the former mentor of Delenn, Draal has become keeper of the great machine intelligence. He explains that he has learnt many things about the past and the future and about the character of Sheridan. He says he is now prepared to put the resources of the planet available to him to assist the Commander in the struggle to come. Returning to the station because of the Centauri assault on the Narn homeworld Sheridan is introduced to the Rangers who we learn have been under the command of Delenn, a force outside the control of the Minbari Grey Council and which includes peoples from different races, including a Vorlon. Pandora’s box has been opened. Now there is hope. This is not the end of the second series and will be covered later.
The penultimate review of Top Friends January 2101 commences with 0 and continues of the end of S, fittingly with Sophie Calle the latest and important addition to the for ever changing top 40 list at 622. There have been 114 departures. Next writing will bring to the 725 with three request waiting to be reviewed with episodes tomorrow and Friday. I will refer to these MySpace Friends on Friday evening for Saturday. For tomorrow there are the remaining My Space Friends and the great plot to replace the current Prime Minister which again appears to have failed as Cabinet Members, with six being mentioned, do not come out and say in public that they support the call for a secret ballot of the Common’s Members on whether Mr Brown should lead his Party into the next General Election. However their statements are luke warm and suggest than morning is happening behind the scenes as has been public.
O
463 Our Planet Added 2009
464 Osho Before May 2007 added
465 Okkupato February 2008 accepted
466 Oscar Wilde before May 2007 request
467 Obebes august 2007 accepted
468 Orson Wells autumn 2008 added
469 Ordinary Pop added 2009
470 Olga before May 2007 added Top list
Olga Greece former TF not at review 96
471 Original Jazz band autumn 2008
472 One World Hunger added 2009
Official autumn 2008 not at review 97
473 Opossum added 2009
474 Oscartdrawin added 2009
P
475 Pheonix added 2009
476 Psycho Bitch added 2009
477 Paulo Nutrini nov dec 2008
478 Pope John Before May 2007 added
479 PB Shelley Before May 2007 added
480 Paul Marturano summer 2008
481 Pearl and the Puppets nov dec 2008
482 Paul Oscher added 2009
483 Preservation Jazz band summer 2008
484 Peter Piek nov dec 2008
485 Paramahansa added 2009
486 Peter China summer 2008
Pedro Almodovar Before May added 97)
Penetr.net Before May added 98)
487 Paxal nov dec 2008
488 Pete Waterman Before May 2007
Peter Jackson Before May 2007 added 99
489 Peter Michael 20July Accepted
490 Pimping Before May 2007 Accepted
Princess June 19th 2007 accepted 100
491 Peter Redenko added 2009
492 Pirate Radio Before May 2007 accepted
493 Powerage by April 2008
494 Paula Abdul Before summer 2007 added
President elect Obama autumn 2008 101
495 Presidents added 2009
496 Pablo Picasso added autumn 2007
497 Promotions Before May 2007 Accepted
498 Pedro Almodovar nov dec 2008
499 Paul L Martinr accepted mid 2007
500 Plato autumn 2008
501 Paul Gaugin nov dec 2008
502 Phillipe Alain autumn 2008
503 Platform 58 added 2009
504 Prince Charles Cinema summer 2009
505 Poppy Girl R.I.P summer 2008
506 Planet full of Blues added 2009
507 Planet Texxas added 2009
508 patmusic added 2009
Q
509 Queen Jane Before august 2007 added
510 Quaker Peace centre Before May 2007 added
511 Quare before august 2007 accepted
512 Queenie and blue cats Before May 2007 added
513 Quantum Accepted autumn 2007
514 Quinn Daniels added 2009
R
515 REM nov dec 2008
516 Ruby James added
517 R Mutt new name 2007
518 Russell 20July 2007 Accepted top 40
519 Renoir autumn 2008
Renate July Accepted dep 102
Rachmaninov July 2007 added 103
520 Ritchie Havens before May 2007 added
521 Richard Gardner summer 2007
522 Rebecca Pidgeon added 2009
Ramsays 2007 -104
523 Remodernism spring 2008
524 Ritary Gagumenti nov dec 2008
525 Reax accepted August 2007
525 Rhei C before May 2007 accepted
526 Roman Pokomy autumn 2008
527 Rachel Street summer 2008
Rainmaker before May 2007 added 104
528 Ray Quinn February 2007 added
529 Robert Allen before May 2007 added
530 Rory Connor added 2009
531 Raphael before May 2007 added
532 Roy Orbison before Nay 2007 added
Rynn before may 2007 105
533 Rock the World added 2009
534 Ray Dexter accepted autumn 2007
535 RIP John accepted summer 2008
536 Richard Koechli added 2009
Remy Trom nov dec 2008 106
537 Ramin Djame nov dec 2008
538 Robert Altman before May
539 Rudolphe Raffalli added 2009
540 Robert Pant nov dec 2008
541 Rayne April 2008
Rip Tree nov dec 2008 107
542 Ricardo Ramirez added 2009
543 Reifenstahl 18.06 2007 Facebook
S
Sinister Jan Feb 2008 accepted Go by Apr 108
544 Steve Carson Band added 2009
545 Socialist Standard added 2009
546 Surianne before May 2007 request
547 Smeagol spring 2008
548 Simon White added 2009
549 Swirl Orb by April 2008
550 Susan Tedeschi added 2009
Sharon 2008 - 109
551 Sigmund Freud Before May 2007 added TF
552 Scarlett Black added
553 Samson and Winter 2008 accepted
554 Stuart 2008
555 Stina Nordenstm
556 Super Cozi added 2009
557 Sue Foley before May 2007 added
578 St Francis Before May 2007 added
579 Scott Raba added 2009
580 St Terresa before May 2007 added
581 Sorry Gilberto Before May 2007 accepted
582 Simone De B nov dec 2008
583 Section Five autumn 2007 accepted
584 Somewhere Before May 2007 accepted TF 40
585 Sharon Osborne added before May 2007
586 Soutine autumn 2008
587 System Lover by April 2008-04-09
588 Staggerle 19 2007 Accepted
589 Susan before May 2007 request
590 Siovenski nov dec 2008
591 Sting nov dec 2008
592 Sister Sophie Before May 2007 added TF 40
593 St Maximus before May 2007 added
594 Sammy Lee before May 2007 add
Semone Loss Before may 2007 110
595 Sergio Carlos before May 2007 Accepted was TF
596 Shelleys art nov dec 2008
597 So July 2007 Accepted 2008
Simon Cowell Before May 2007 added 111
598 Shaun Attwood 2008-11-21
599 Salvador Dali nov dec 2008
600 Spring Heeled July 2007 Accepted
601 Sean Wright July 2007 Accepted
602 Sea Witch 2008
603 Susan Vega nov dec 2008
604 Shades of Before May 2007 accepted
605 Stefano nov dec 2008#
606 Stephanie nov dec 2008
607 St Bernadette before May 2007 added
608 Serkin added 2009
609 Sobriquette added 2009
610 Selene Munoz added 2009
611 Savo Rego added 2008
Sean Guage 2008 112
612 Steve McCormick added 2009
613 Sophie Lorren autumn 2008
614 Standbite nov dec 2008
615 Southern Boy Music added 2009
616 Scene Junkie autumn 2008
Spinal me autumn 2207 added- 113
Sylvia Jan 08 accepted -114
617 Sysma nov dec 2008
618 Sakti added 2009
619 Santiago added 2009
620 Starving Artist nov dec 2008
621 Sarah Morton added 2009
622 Stefano added 2009
623 Sophie Calle added 2009 Top 40
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